The present invention is directed to a novel game apparatus which can be used by one or more players in a game of skill that rewards quick reflexes on the part of the players.
The game of this invention includes an array of indicators such as lamps or LED's. Sweep means are provided for selectively activating individual indicators in two sequences: a first sequence which proceeds from a first section of the array to a second section, and a second sequence which proceeds in the reverse direction from the second to the first sections of the array.
A preferred embodiment of the invention provides two manually operated switches coupled to means for altering the operation of the sweep means. The first switch acts to terminate the first sequence and to initiate the second sequence while the second switch has a complementary effect. That is, it terminates the second sequence and initiates the first sequence. This embodiment of the invention is intended for use by two players, each operating one of the two switches.
In this embodiment the object of the game is for each player to operate his switch before the sweep means activates a predetermined indicator. That is, the first player attempts to activate the first switch before a first goal indicator is activated in the first sweep sequence and the second player attempts to activate the second switch before a second goal indicator is activated in the second sweep sequence. If either player fails to operate his switch in time, he loses the point.
One feature of the game of the present invention is that means are provided for selecting the rate at which indicators are activated by the sweep means. The selecting means operates to select a first sweep rate when the first switch is operated before a predetermined point in the sweep sequence and a second, higher sweep rate when the first switch is operated after said predetermined point. Thus, a player can select a higher sweep rate for his opponent for delaying his reaction until a relatively later time in the sweep sequence. This feature adds a further element of skill and tactics to the game.
A second feature of this invention is a novel means for displaying a score which requires no additional indicators. According to this feature of the invention the same indicators which are used to play the game are used to display the score. Score display means are provided which selectively activate at least one of the indicators to display a score. The position of the activated indicator indicates the score, and successively higher scores correspond in sequence to the sequence in which the indicators are activated by the sweep means.
In one preferred embodiment, the score is defined as the difference between the number of points scored by two players. This score is indicated by the position of an activated indicator. Thus, a zero difference is indicated by activation of a center LED, and high scores for either of the two players correspond to activated indicators near the two ends of the array, respectively. It should be noted that in this embodiment the score display can be thought of as following the general outline of the game itself. That is, in the game each player operates his switch so as to prevent the successive sweep of indicators from reaching his goal indicator. Similarly, each player attempts to prevent the score from reaching a sufficiently high difference to activate his goal indicator.
The game apparatus of the present invention can be embodied in electronic circuitry which is compact, reliable, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Furthermore, the foregoing features of the invention provide a game which will entertain players of varying ages. The invention itself, together with further objects and attendant advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.